UFC 308 is ready to go down Saturday from the Etihad Area in Abu Dhabi. The principle occasion will see featherweight champion Ilia Topuria look to make his first title protection towards former king Max Holloway. Topuria shook the MMA world when he upset longtime champion Alexander Volkanovski by way of KO; Volkanovski has three wins over Holloway. Holloway will look to show the highest of the featherweight division into a correct triangle in his problem.
Robert Whittaker is ready to tackle Khamzat Chimaev in a middleweight bout within the co-main occasion. The match-up is probably going a title eliminator to find out who will combat the winner of Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland; nevertheless, the following middleweight title combat is but to be booked.
The remainder of the UFC 308 essential card options Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic in what must be a title eliminator at gentle heavyweight; Lerone Murphy taking over Dan Ige at featherweight; and Shara Magomedov preventing Armen Petrosyan at middleweight.
Topuria, Chimaev, Murphy and Magomedov are all undefeated, whereas Ankalaev solely has one loss.
The UFC 308 preliminary card options its personal share of undefeated prospects, longtime contenders and enjoyable fights. Listed here are 5 UFC 308 bouts to observe.
Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira
Aslan, who’s 1-0 within the UFC and 13-1 general, is ready to welcome the 11-0 Cerqueira to the Octagon. The Brazilian is ready to make his debut after a run of success within the Demo Struggle promotion.
Regardless of a deep preliminary card that includes a former champion, longtime veterans and different prime prospects, the UFC opted to headline the UFC 308 preliminary card with two males with one UFC bout between the 2 of them. There may be doubtless a technique to the UFC’s insanity right here: Cerequeira has completed all however one in all his 11 wins (eight by knockout), Aslan has completed all 13 of his victories by knockout. Merely put, the UFC is anticipating fireworks and a end right here at gentle heavyweight.
Given a first-rate slot on the prelims, all eyes might be on Aslan and Cerqueira. One in every of them might emerge as a prime prospect at 205 kilos with an emphatic win. Don’t blink.
Geoff Neal vs. Rafael dos Anjos
The UFC 308 prelims get a former champion. Dos Anjos, the previous light-weight king and present top-15 light-weight, is returning to the welterweight division for a match-up with Neal. “RDA” has had success in each weight lessons, narrowly shedding an interim welterweight title combat to Colby Covington years again.
Dos Anjos, who turns 40 years previous on combat day, has fought a who’s who of former champions and title challengers over his lengthy UFC profession. He’s underrated within the “anybody, anytime, wherever” dialogue, having fought elite fighters of all kinds and backgrounds. After preventing a wrestler in Mateusz Gamrot at light-weight in his final bout, he’ll now combat a welterweight identified for his hanging.
Neal misplaced a detailed break up resolution to Ian Garry his final bout and would have taken the Irish fighter’s ‘0’ had a second choose noticed the combat his means. Earlier than that, he put forth a spirited effort in a submission loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov, the following welterweight title challenger. After preventing two elite prospects, Neal will get an opportunity to return to the win column over a legend and former champion in what is a superb alternative for his resume.
Neal will doubtless stand and commerce with “RDA.” Dos Anjos’s technique might be extra fascinating, as he can strike and wrestle successfully relying on the match-up. Both means, followers are in for a deal with between two elite fighters.
Myktybek Orolbai vs. Mateusz Rebecki
Orolbai enters this light-weight contest with a whole lot of hype. The Kyrgyzstan native is 13-1-1 as an expert and 2-0 within the UFC with wins over Uros Medic and Elves Brener. The well-rounded Orolbai has six wins by T/KO and 5 by submission.
Rebecki had a whole lot of hype himself earlier than a crushing TKO upset loss to Diego Ferreira. The Pole had began his UFC profession 3-0 with wins over Nick Fiore, Loik Radzhabov, and Roosevelt Roberts earlier than struggling the second lack of his professional profession.
Rebecki might earn again all of the shine he misplaced after which some if he is ready to defeat Orolbai – particularly if he can end him. Given the light-weight division’s depth, neither man is more likely to earn a top-15 opponent off a win, however they’d be that a lot nearer to the chance. The combat remains to be a contest between two highly-skilled combatants and must be a chess match.
Abus Magomedov vs. Brunno Ferreira
Magomedov received again within the win column towards Warlley Alves after losses to Caio Borralho and Sean Strickland – Strickland would go on to defeat Israel Adesanya and turn out to be the UFC’s middleweight champion. Magomedov, nonetheless a promising prospect, attracts one other prospect in Ferreira, who’s 3-1 within the UFC.
Ferreira has wins over Gregory Rodrigues, Phil Hawes and Dustin Stoltzfus.
Each middleweights are finishers: Magomedov has 14 T/KO wins and 6 submissions in his 26 skilled victories; Ferreira has a 100% ending price with 9 T/KOs.
This must be an thrilling bout for so long as it lasts, and the victor might discover himself with a top-15 opponent subsequent.
Farid Basharat vs. Victor Hugo
Basharat holds an ideal 12-0 file heading into his bantamweight conflict with Hugo. Basharat has picked up UFC wins over the resurgent Taylor Lapilus, Kleydson Rodrigues, and Da’Mon Blackshear.
Hugo has a powerful 25-4 file himself – he made good on his UFC debut towards Pedro Falcao.
Hugo, regardless of having greater than twice the quantity {of professional} fights, may be very a lot a UFC prospect himself, even on the prime age of 31. The promotion did him no favors throwing him towards Basharat nearly instantaneously, however as the massive underdog, Hugo has much less to lose, and the strain to satisfy expectations is on Basharat, who many contemplate a blue-chip prospect.
If Basharat can dismantle Hugo, it’s time to present him an opponent close to the top-15 – particularly when you think about his win over Lapilus.
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